Many schools in the US state of Pennsylvania are on the brink of collapse due to the state government’s failure to pay subsidies.
One of Pennsylvania’s poorest school districts said it cannot afford to pay its teachers and staff amid a state budget stalemate, according to the Associate Press.
The Chester Upland School District, which has been struggling with financial and academic problems for decades, is on the verge of bankruptcy and cannot make payroll, state and local officials have said.
Teachers and support staff, including bus drivers, secretaries and janitors voted Thursday to continue working even if they are not paid.
“The thought of it is very scary,” said John Shelton, 60, dean of students at the district’s only middle school and a 23-year employee. “It’s mind-boggling because there’s truly uncertainty.”
Chester Upland’s current fiscal crisis, however, is more serious, said Jeff Sheridan, a spokesman for Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf.